Abba
Moro
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has slammed
an 11-count charge against Former Interior Minister, Abba Moro and four others
for allegedly collecting N676.6million from 676,675 job seekers in the poorly
handled Nigerian Immigration exercise in 2013.
Moro, a permanent secretary of the ministry at the time,
Anastasia Daniel-Nwobia, a deputy director in the ministry, F. O Alayebami, one
Mahmood Ahmadu (at large), and the contracting firm given the recruitment job,
Drexel Tech Nigeria Ltd are being accused of defrauding 676, 675,000 (Six
Hundred and Seventy Six Thousand, Six Hundred and Seventy Five) Nigerian applicants
of N676,675,000 (Six Hundred and Seventy Six Million, Six Hundred and Seventy
Five Thousand Naira).
The applicants paid N1000 each through an e-payment platform for
their online recruitment exercise into the NIS, which led to the death of over
19 applicants.
The accused are also alleged to have contravened the Public
Procurement Act, No. 65 of 2007 in the contract awards by not following the
necessary procedure laid down by the government.
Another shocking revelation by the EFCC said N202,500,000 was spent
on buying No. 1, Lahn Crescent, Maitama, Abuja and N120, 100,000 was lavished
on the upgrade of No.2, Sigure Close, Off Monrovia Street, Wuse II Abuja.
The commission said the recruitment firm, Drexel Tech Nigeria
Limited and Mahmood Ahmadu converted N101, 200,000 to US dollars for personal
use.
The EFCC preferred against Moro and his people yesterday at the
Federal High Court in Abuja.
The charges are as follows:
“That you Abba Moro, Anastasia Daniel-Nwobia, F.O Alayebami,
Mahmood Ahmadu (at large) and Drexel Tech Nigeria Ltd on or about the 17th of
March 2013 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with
intent to defraud conspired to induce a total number of 676,675 Nigerian job
applicants seeking employment with Nigerian Immigration Service to deliver
property to wit: cumulative sum of N676,675,000 which sum represents the sum of
N1,000 per applicant under the false pretence that the money represents payment
for their online recruitment exercise into Nigerian Immigration Service and which
pretence you knew was false, contrary to Section 8 and 1(1) (b) and punishable
under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences
Act, No. 14 of 2006
“That you Abba Moro, Anastasia Daniel Nwobia, F.O Alayebami ,
Mahmood Ahmadu (at large) and Drexel Tech Nigeria Ltd on or about the 17th of
March 2013 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with
intent to defraud conspired to induce a total number of 676,675 Nigerian job
applicants seeking employment with Nigerian Immigration Service to deliver
property to wit: cumulative sum of N676,675,000 which sum represents the sum of
N1,000 per applicant under the false pretence that that you have followed the
necessary procedure and that the money represents epayment for their online
recruitment exercise into Nigerian Immigration Service and which pretence and
you knew was false, contrary to Section 8 and 1(1) (b) and punishable under
Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, No. 14 of
2006.
“That you Abba Moro, Anastasia Daniel Nwobia, and F.O Alayebami
on or about the 30th of April 2013 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this
Honourable Court did award contract for the provision of online enlistment and
recruitment services to Drexel Tech Nigeria Limited without advertising the
contract contrary to Section 45 and punishable under Section 58(5) of the
Public Procurement Act, No. 65 of 2007.
“That you Abba Moro, Anastasia Daniel Nwobia, and F.O Alayebami
on or about the 30th of April 2013 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this
Honourable Court did award contract for the provision of online enlistment and
recruitment services to Drexel Tech Nigeria Limited without Needs Assessment
and Procurement Plan, contract contrary to Section 16(1) (b) and Section 18 of
the Public Procurement Act, No. 65 of 2007 and punishable under Section 58 of
the same Act.
“That you Abba Moro, Anastasia Daniel Nwobia, and F.O Alayebami
on or about the 30th of April 2013 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this
Honourable Court did award contract for the provision of online enlistment and
recruitment services to Drexel Tech Nigeria Limited to develop recruitment
portal through selective tendering process by inviting four(4) firms without
seeking approval of the Bureau for Public Procurement (BPP) contrary to
sections 40, 42 and 43 of the Public Procurement Act, No. 65 of 2007 and
punishable under Section 58 of the same Act.
“That you Abba Moro, Anastasia Daniel Nwobia, and F.O Alayebami
on or about the 30th of April 2013 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this
Honourable Court did award contract for the provision of online enlistment and
recruitment services to Drexel Tech Nigeria Limited and signed by unregistered
Drexel Tech Global Nigeria Limited when you knew that Drexel Tech Nigeria
Limited was not responsive to mandatory prequalification contrary to sections
50(5) and 51 of the Public Procurement Act, No. 65 of 2007 and punishable under
Section 58 of the same Act.
“That you Abba Moro, Anastasia Daniel Nwobia, and F.O Alayebami
on or about the 30th of April 2013 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this
Honourable Court did award contract for the provision of online enlistment and
recruitment services to Drexel Tech Nigeria Limited and signed by unregistered
Drexel Tech Global Nigeria Limited when you knew that there was no budgetary
provision for the exercise in the 2014 Federal Capital Budget and transferring
responsibility to fund the project to applicants through mandatory payment of
N1,000 without approval of the Board, contrary to Section 22(5) of the
Independent Corrupt Practices Act 2000.
“That you Drexel Tech Nigeria Limited and Mahmood Ahmadu (at
large) on or about the 17th of March 2015 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of
this Honourable Court converted the sum of N202,500,000 part of the
N676,675,000 obtained from 676,675 Nigerian job applicants seeking employment
with Nigerian Immigration Service to buy property No. 1, Lahn Crescent Maitama,
Abuja with the aim of disguising the illicit origin of the said sum, knowing
same to be proceeds of illegal activity and you thereby committed an offence
contrary to Section 15(2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 as
amended in 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.
“That you Drexel Tech Nigeria Limited and Mahmood Ahmadu (At
large) on or about the 17th of March 2015 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of
this Honourable Court converted the sum of N120, 100,000 being part of the
N676,675,000 obtained from 676,675 Nigerian job applicants seeking employment
with Nigerian Immigration Service to upgrade property No.2 Sigure Close, Off
Monrovia Street, Wuse II Abuja with the aim of disguising the illicit origin of
the said sum knowing same to be proceeds of illegal activity and you thereby
committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2) (d) of the Money Laundering (
Prohibition) Act 2011 as amended in 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) of
the same Act.
“That you Drexel Tech Nigeria Limited and Mahmood Ahmadu(At
large) on or about the 17th of March 2015 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of
this Honourable Court converted the sum of N101, 200,000 being part of the
N676,675,000 obtained from 676,675 Nigerian job applicants seeking employment
with Nigerian Immigration Service to United States dollars for your personal
use knowing same to be proceeds of illegal activity and you thereby committed
an offence contrary to Section 15(2) (d) of the Money Laundering ( Prohibition)
Act 2011 as amended in 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.”